Fire department warns of near-term retirements, seeks staffing for ambulance program and reactivated station
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Summary
Fire Chief Tom Shannon told the commission that about one-third of Scottsdale firefighters will be eligible for retirement beginning July 1, 2025; the department requested funding for ambulance phase 2, replacement equipment, and restoration of a second company at Station 601.
Fire Chief Tom Shannon told the Budget Review Commission that the department faces a wave of retirements that will drive hiring, training and equipment needs over the next several years and described budget requests to support an ongoing return to in‑house ambulance service and to restore a second company at Station 601.
Shannon said the department’s ‘born-on’ municipal-service date means a cohort of long-tenured employees becomes eligible for retirement beginning July 1, 2025; he described a front‑loaded “wave” of departures that will remove experienced supervisory and technical skills first. To manage that front end of the retirement “tsunami,” the department is asking for funding to recruit, hire and train replacements well ahead of departures, including paramedic schooling and special-team training (technical rescue, hazmat and airport rescue) and additional equipment and vehicle upfits.
Budget requests tied to the ambulance program include equipment for five new ambulances expected in October (phase 2) and staffing additions to operate the service. Shannon said the city’s plan is to reach operating break‑even on billings and revenues as the ambulance program scales; staff expect capital-asset recovery over a multi‑year horizon once full operations are in place, and the department projected positive operating results in coming years as utilization and billing mature.
Shannon also requested funding to reestablish a second company at Station 601 (Miller and McDowell), noting that station will improve response reliability for an area with rising call volumes. The presentation included an itemization of fleet upfits, training center costs and a new logistics warehouse intended to consolidate parts and improve supply control.
Ending: Commissioners thanked the chief and asked for more detail on the ambulance break‑even timing and on how retirements are being tracked and mitigated; staff said they will provide more detailed pro forma analyses and a phased hiring schedule.